Body-armor



(No Model.)

R. P.STEVEN,SON.

BODY ARMOR.

No. 570,067. Patented 007. 271896.

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UNITED STAT S ATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT FERGUSON STEVENSON, OF SILVERTON, TEXAS.

BODY-ARMOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,067, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed January 7, 1896. Serial No. 574,586. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it 71mg concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT FERGUSON STE- VENsON, of Silverton, county of Briscoe, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Body-Armor, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce improvements in plate-armor by which the body of a man may be perfectly protected against bullets or other missiles, and which, being adapted to accommodate itself easily to all movements of the wearer, may be worn at all times without discomfort.

A further object of my invention is to provide an armor adapted to be employed without the use of securing-straps and which, while protecting the shoulders of the wearer, will permit of the use of his arms and shoulders, as, for instance, in executing the manual of arms, without such movement being retarded by the weight of one of the bodyplates.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is is a perspective view of my improved armor as fitted to a man, the outline of the man being dotted in. Fig. II is a back view of the armor detached. Fig. III is a sectional view showing connection between the back and side plates in detail. Fig. IV is a sectional view showing front fastening mechanism in detail.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the back plate of my armor, which is designed to completely cover the back of a wearer.

2 indicates one of the side plates, and 3 the other. Each of them is provided with armholes 4. The plate 2 under-laps the back plate, as indicated at 5, and the plate 3 underlaps it, as indicated at 6. The underlap between the side and back plates is so great as to form a perfect protection at the juncture of the two plates, but the plates are also adapted to move freely one upon the other, so as not to incommode the wearer. For this purpose I provide apertures 8 in the back plate and similar apertures 9 in each of the side plates and unite them by a loose connecting-piece consisting, preferably, of a link 10 and terminal-heads 11. The link is in- .serted through a pair of apertures 8 and 9 and the heads are afterward secured in place to unite the parts, as illustrated. At the front the edges of the side pieces overlap to form a protection similar to that afforded by the overlapping edges of the back and side pieces.

For conveniently and detachably securing the front edges of the side pieces together I provide at suitable intervals upon the under side piece, for example, the side piece 2, a swiveled stem 12, carrying an oblong head 13. Upon the other side piece, 3,which overlaps the side piece 2, Iprovide corresponding slots 14:, which are of a size to admit the oblong head 13 when it is turned into alinement with the slot. When the head is inserted into the slot, it is given a quarter-turn. By this means the front of the armor may be securely fastened together or may be conveniently unfastened whenever required.

15 indicates shoulder-plates, being formed to cover the shoulders and preferably pivotally secured at one end, as by rivets 16, to the front of the side plates 2 and 3, respectively. The shoulder-plates should be pivoted to the side plates so as to allow movement of the shoulders, but at the same time should be stiff enough to normally cover and protect the shoulders. They are provided with overlapping ends 17, which overlap on the back of the wearer to protect the neck above the back plate.

The material of which the armor is manufactured may be steel or, preferably, on account of its lightness, tempered aluminium or aluminium alloy.

I am aware that a patent has been issued to one G. Grebe, No. 301,358, the subjectmatter of which discloses a plurality of armor-plates having yielding connections, and such construction I do not claim, broadly.

hat I claim is-- 1. In plate-armor, the combination with a back piece, and side pieces flexibly united thereto, means for securing the side pieces in front, and shoulder-pieces pivotally united to the side pieces, and having overlapping ends above the back pieces, substantially as set forth.

2. In plate armor, the combination with a back piece, side pieces extending across the front and overlapping, of swiveled stems secured to the underlapping side pieces, oblong heads upon the respective stems, and slots in the outer overlapping side pieces adapted to admit the oblong heads for securing the parts together, substantially as set forth.

3. In body-armor, the combination with a back piece side pieces extending across the front and overlapping, of swiveled stems secured to the overlapped side piece, oblong heads upon the respective stems, and slots in the outer overlapping side piece adapted to admit the oblong heads for securing the parts together, the adjacent edges of the back piece and side pieces overlapping and being provided with correlative apertures, links passing through the correlative apertures, and heads flexibly connected to the opposite ends of the links and designed to constitute a flexible connection between the back piece and side pieces, substantially as specified.

4:. I11 plate-armor, the combination with a back piece, side pieces extending across the front and overlapping, of swiveled stems secured to the overlapped side piece, oblong heads upon the respective stems, and slots in whereby the movement of the shoulder of the wearer causes a pivotalmovement of the adjacent shoulder-piece independently of any other part of the armor, substantially as speci fied.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ROBERT FERGUSON STEVENSON.

Witnesses:

D. H. SWEENEY, V. I3. WARE. 

